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Plant Intellectual Property

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The Morrison & Foerster Plant Intellectual Property Group is a cross-disciplinary practice group that handles a wide range of intellectual property issues related to plants and other agricultural products. The Group encompasses a unique combination of legal expertise in the patent, licensing, corporate, trademark, and litigation fields.

Case Studies

2023 BCLT IP & Tech Month

World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit

Future Food-Tech Alternative Protein Summit 2022

Berkeley Law IP and Tech Month

China Stakes Out Its Place in Plant Variety Protection

Gene Editing: Opportunities and Implications Across the Food and Ag Value Chain

Events

Updates in Uruguay – Accession to the PCT and Announcement of a New GMO Regulatory Framework

Microbes, Biotech Investigations, and Impacts: Midsummer Regulatory Updates from USDA-APHIS

UPOV Updates Explanatory Note on Essentially Derived Varieties (EDVs)

Update February 2024 on Commission Plans Liberalization of New Genomic Techniques (NGTS) in the EU

Why Agricultural End Effectors Are Ripe for IP Protection

The EU’s New Proposal for Plants Developed Using New Genomic Techniques: How Does it Compare to U.S. Regulation?

Insights

Morrison Foerster Achieves Top-Tier Recognition in Managing IP’s 2024 Rankings

Morrison Foerster Recognized in 2024 IAM Patent 1000

Morrison Foerster Shortlisted in Managing IP Americas Awards for Ten Categories

Morrison Foerster Achieves Top-Tier Recognition in Managing IP’s 2023 Rankings

Neuer Rechtsrahmen für Gentechnik für Nahrungs- und Futtermittel

Genetic Engineering in the Food and Feed Industry

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Michael (Mike) Ward is co-chair of the firm's Life Sciences + Healthcare Group, Patent Group, Intellectual Property Group, and Food + Agriculture Group.As co-chair of the Patent Group, Mike manages a team that includes 80+ Ph.D.s and 100+ attorneys and others with advanced scientific degrees in life sciences and related engineering disciplines. From small molecules and antibodies to gene editing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, MoFo has deep experience protecting some of the most important innovations in the life sciences and food and agriculture sectors.Life SciencesFor his work across the life sciences sector, Mike was named San Francisco Biotechnology Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America in 2020 and is recommended for his patent strategy and prosecution practice in LMG Life Sciences. He also led the team that was named 2022 Patent Management and Strategy Firm of the Year at the 2022 LMG Life Sciences Americas Awards.Food + AgricultureRecognized as “one of the world’s foremost plant and agriculture IP lawyers,” Mike manages a wide range of intellectual property issues related to plants and plant products. He and his team advise clients on plant and plant utility patents; licensing agreements for plant IP; litigation in U.S. state and federal court and before the International Trade Commission; and regulatory approvals from the USDA, FDA, and EPA for gene edited and genetically engineered plants.Patent Strategy + ProsecutionMike is a Legal 500 US Hall of Fame lawyer for patent prosecution and is consistently named one of the leading IP lawyers by Managing Intellectual Property, Chambers USA and Chambers Global, and IAM Patent 1000.Mike works closely with many clients to develop and manage their patent portfolios. He helps clients identify, monitor, and assess the infringement risks of third-party patents. He also assists clients in preparing both offensive and defensive patent portfolios, with a particular emphasis on drafting patent applications that will be utilized in licensing and in litigation efforts.IP Due DiligenceFor venture capitalists seeking to invest in early- and mid-stage companies, underwriters involved in IPOs, and companies seeking to acquire or merge with other companies, Mike has managed extensive IP diligence. His work includes assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of patent portfolios, evaluation of freedom to operate issues, and strategic recommendations for maximizing the value of patent portfolios going forward.Mike also works closely with the IP Litigation Group on various litigation matters including patent interferences to determine the first-to-invent and patent re-examination work and actively participates in both mediation and arbitration proceedings on behalf of clients in the life sciences and food and agriculture areas.He is a frequent lecturer and speaker. Among numerous speaking engagements, Mike is the IP instructor at the UC Davis Licensing Academy and founded Morrison Foerster’s annual Harvard Biotechnology Club Fall Patent Law Course.Mike holds a Ph.D. in plant physiology (biochemistry) and an M.S. in agronomy from the University of California, Davis; a B.S. in biology from the University of California, Berkeley; and a J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law. He was a post-doctoral fellow in plant molecular biology at the Harvard Medical School and the Department of Molecular Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he worked on the Arabidopsis genome project.